Ex-Midland mayor to oppose Seliger

AUSTIN — Veteran state Sen. Kel Seliger, R- Amarillo, who faced a Republican primary challenger last year, will have another opponent next year.

Former Midland Mayor Mike Canon said Saturday he is challenging the Amarillo Republican in the March 4 primary.

“This is something that I gave a lot of thought,” Canon, an oil and gas attorney, said. “I had to put my law practice on hold.”

Seliger, who had known for about a week that Canon might challenge him in the District 31 primary, said he is prepared for the challenge.

“I have a record that I am really proud of and I look forward to debate the issues,” he said.

Seliger also has a big weapon he has yet to use — lots of cash.

In his most recent campaign finance report filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, he reported $1.5 million in the bank, money he has raised mostly during the nearly 10 years he has represented District 31.

Seliger’s war chest is by far the biggest among the members of the Texas Panhandle/South Plains delegation and it is one of the biggest among all 31 senators and 150 House members.

Big war chests often discourage potential challengers. In last year’s primary, Randy Rives, of Odessa, challenged Seliger anyway, but couldn’t raise the money needed for a competitive race.

Rives, whom Seliger soundly defeated, had less than $13,000 when he filed his candidacy and raised less than $7,000 afterwards, not enough for a competitive race in the 37-county district.

Canon said though he is aware of Seliger’s war chest, he is not intimidated by it.

“I don’t have as much money now, but I’ll be able to raise some,” Canon said. “But what is going to make the difference in this race is our grassroots efforts. We’re going to have a lot of boots on the ground.”

The Seliger-Canon race could also revive the old north-versus-south rivalry in District 31, more specifically, between Amarillo and Midland.

In 2004, when Seliger first won the seat in a special election, one of five Republicans he beat was Bob Barnes, another former mayor of Midland.

Like Canon and Barnes, Seliger also has municipal experience. He was mayor of Amarillo before being elected to the Texas Senate.

Seliger is the second member of the region’s delegation to have at least one challenger in the Republican primary. In House District 83, incumbent Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, will face Steve Massengale, president of the Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Reps. Randy Neuegebauer of Lubbock and Mac Thornberry of Clarendon also have Republican challengers in their respective congressional districts, 19 and 13.

If Thornberry survives the challenge from Amarillo businesswoman Elaine Hays and from Pam Barlow, a veterinarian from Bowie, he will also have a Democratic opponent in the general election.

Mike Minter, a candidate for whom the Texas Democratic Party posted no information, qualified to run.

Thornberry has represented the district for 19 years.

Neugebauer, who has represented District 19 for 10 years, will also have a Democratic opponent if he survives a primary challenge from Dr. Donald May, who calls himself “Mr. Conservative.”

Neal Marchbanks, also of Lubbock, is the only Democrat running for Neugebauer’s seat.